The void twisted and folded as Ryojin emerged into the ruins of a once-great kingdom. He stood atop a crumbling temple, its stone eroded by time, the ancient inscriptions faded beyond recognition. The night sky stretched above him, an endless void without stars or moonlight. The air crackled with the remnants of his power, distorting reality itself.
He clenched his fist. The sensation was... different.
"Man, this power is insane," he muttered, flexing his fingers. "I can even open portals now." He smirked to himself. "Though I wouldn't call them portals if they're literally tearing holes in the sky. Doesn't matter—it'll be useful."
Before the Abyss, he had limits—human limits, celestial limits. Now, he was something else entirely. He hadn't just gained power. He had become something beyond definition.
A flicker of movement caught his attention.
Ryojin's gaze snapped to the temple entrance. A lone figure stood there, watching him.
"Who's there?"
The figure stepped forward. The dim light revealed a woman clad in black and silver robes, her piercing eyes glowing with caution and curiosity.
He recognized her instantly.
Elyria Noctis.
A former member of the Abyssal Clan. A shadowbinder. Once hunted by both the Celestial Order and the Abyssal Clans after she abandoned them. She was neither an enemy nor an ally—at least, not yet.
She tilted her head, studying him. "You should be dead."
Ryojin smirked. "And you should be running."
Elyria stepped closer, her boots making no sound against the temple stone. "I felt the shift in the world. The Abyssal energy radiating from you... it's almost like the Abyssal Clan's Elite Five." She paused, scrutinizing him. "What happened?"
He met her gaze, unwavering. "I was reborn."
She raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I thought you had no pact with a high-ranking spirit. Without one, you should've perished in the Abyss."
Ryojin exhaled, gripping his katana tighter. "I thought so too. But fate had other plans. And with this second chance... I'll end the gods."
A gust of wind passed between them. The silence that followed was thick with unspoken tension.
"Are the Abyssal Clans still functioning?" he asked, his curiosity laced with something deeper.
Elyria sighed. "After their defeat, most of the warriors died. Those who survived... well, they've gone into hiding." She hesitated. "As for the Elite Five... no one has heard from them. They vanished without a trace."
Ryojin's expression darkened. "Is that so..."
Elyria's lips curled into an amused smirk. "You're not the only one who's changed, Ryojin." She turned, walking away. "The gods are stirring. The Abyssal Clans will come for you. And you? You are the crack in the foundation of this world."
Her voice lingered in the air as she disappeared into the shadows.
"Be careful, or you might be devoured by the very power you wield."
Ryojin remained still, staring at the spot where she had stood.
The world was shifting. The gods would come. The Abyssal Clans would move. The Celestial Order would prepare for war.
And him?
He would cut through all of them.
For the first time in his life, he was unbound. And nothing would stand in his way.
He sat back on the temple's highest peak, the wind tugging at his armor as he overlooked the ruined valley below. His thoughts, however, were far from the destruction before him.
"If what Elyria said is true, I need to move before the Abyssal Clans find me, he thought. I won't be someone's weapon."
His face dropped. "I don't want to keep sacrificing people for power..."
A presence approached, interrupting his thoughts.
Ryojin didn't turn, but his fingers instinctively twitched toward his katana.
Soft footsteps echoed against the stone. A voice, smooth and knowing, broke the silence.
"You really don't waste time making enemies, do you?"
Ryojin smirked. "Depends on how you define enemy."
The newcomer stepped into the moonlight—a tall man with silver hair and sharp blue eyes. His dark coat, adorned with intricate runes, swayed in the wind.
Vaelin Duskbane.
A name whispered among those who dealt in forbidden knowledge. A rogue scholar. A tactician. And, when necessary, a killer.
Vaelin studied him. "Abyssal Clan remnants are rare to see these days," he remarked. "Especially after your noble mission to 'save humanity' ended in disaster."
Ryojin met his gaze. "What do you want? And how did you know I was here?"
Vaelin sighed dramatically. "Oh my, did I strike a nerve? The truth does sting, doesn't it?" He gestured at the ruins. "This used to be a great kingdom—Opris. Now, it's nothing. No souls, no life. Just another casualty in your war against the gods."
Ryojin didn't respond. Deep down, he knew Vaelin wasn't wrong.
Vaelin's lips curled. "So, what now? With power like yours, one can only imagine."
The question hung in the air.
Ryojin had no illusions about what lay ahead. The gods wanted him erased. The Celestial Order wanted him chained. The Abyssal Clans surely wanted him back—as a weapon.
But Ryojin Kurohane belonged to no one.
His path was his alone.
He turned to Vaelin, his violet eyes glowing faintly. "I will take my blade to the heavens, and the gods will tremble before me. I will show them the true meaning of power. They have ruled the skies for eons—but I will bring them crashing down. And when they fall, my foot will be the one pressing down on their broken thrones."
Vaelin smirked. "Then allow me to share something interesting. While you were away in the Abyss, the gods built a city—Solara—in the fallen kingdom of Keranus. It's right next to this one."
Ryojin's eyes darkened. "They built a city on mortal land?" His voice dripped with venom. "Those damn bastards..."
Vaelin turned, a swirling portal opening before him. "Attack Solara. Force one of the Sentinels to tell you how to enter the godly realm. It'll be useful."
Ryojin narrowed his eyes. "Wait. How did you know I was cast into the Abyss? And how long I was there?"
Vaelin paused—but didn't turn back.
The portal closed behind him.
Ryojin's grip on his katana tightened. "I hate that man... I wonder what kind of spirit he's contracted with to open portals like that."
He exhaled sharply. "Doesn't matter. I'll attack Solara. If I can learn how to enter the godly realm, it'll be worth it."
He glanced down at his katana, a grim realization settling over him.
"Tch... I wish I had time to master this power. But I don't. My Abyssal energy will likely last two weeks."
His time was running out.